School officials answer citizens' queries on spending

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer

Published on March 05, 2010

A group of town citizens recently asked school administrators some questions about the district's current spending. Now, they have some answers to those queries.

Asked - and answered:

* The average salary for a full-time elementary teacher in Amherst is $60,627, while at the high school it's $58,296.

* The school district spent $66,555 last year on legal expenses for special education, up from $41,964 in fiscal 2008.

* There are 55 children who attend Amherst public schools but live in housing that's exempt from property taxes.

A copy of the report, prepared by Assistant Superintendent Maria Geryk and Director of Human Resources Kathy Mazur, among others, was provided to the Bulletin Tuesday.

In many cases, the citizens' group challenged financial policies - and administrators, in turn, explained them.

For example, the group asked why Amherst elementary schools employ assistant principals. They are responsible for managing transportation, discipline, special education and supporting teacher evaluation, according to the report.

"The primary reason for maintaining these positions at this time is the challenge being faced in the coming year of having new student populations within the remaining three reconfigured elementary schools," according to the report.

It said these positions have been reduced from full-year to school-year.

The reconfiguring refers to the closing of Mark's Meadow School, with those students being divided among Crocker Farm, Wildwood and Fort River elementary schools.

What follows are summaries of questions posed by the citizens' group - and responses from school administrators.

* Principal's role. The group asked if Mark Jackson could continue to serve as principal of both the middle and high schools. The report responded that there are 1,700 students and 300 staff in two buildings, and "it is neither practical nor efficient for one individual to head both locations."

The report says that "administrative costs as a percentage of total budget are actually lower than most surrounding districts."

* Transportation. The citizens group asked about charging families for busing and charging students for parking.

The schools must provide busing to all students living more than 1.5 miles from their schools, the report says. The potential savings by charging students living closer than 1.5 miles would be offset by the cost of running a pass system, and there are safety issues, the report says.

High school students pay $25 per trimester to park, and this money is used for expenses in the parking lot, the report says.

* School offerings. The citizens group asked about changes in non-academic offerings over the past five years.

In the elementary schools, the number of technology integration teachers has been reduced, instrumental music lessons begin one year later, and students are getting less instruction in art, music and physical education, the report says. At the middle school, exploratory offerings have been greatly reduced, it says.

At the high school, physical education is no longer required, and technology, business and computer education courses have been eliminated. Music education for those not in ensembles has diminished, and photography and ceramics "are running at only one-sixth of the capacity of the facilities," according to the report.

* Sharing services. The group asked if money could be saved by sharing services with municipal government, such as information technology. "The needs for an educational institution differ greatly from the needs of a municipality dealing with police, fire and tax bills," the report says.

* Trimester system. Some School Committee members have suggested switching the high school from a trimester to a semester system. This would not save money, according to the report.

* COLAs and "step" increases. The report also clarifies the distinction between cost-of-living raises and "step" increases in the teacher contract.

COLAs, which are 3 percent this year and 3 percent next year, are related to the Consumer Price Index and union settlements in other communities, the report says. "Steps," which average 4 percent in Amherst, "recognize professional growth within the craft of teaching" for teachers not at the top of the scale, it says.

In the elementary schools, 62 percent of teachers are at the top of the scale and 53 percent in the regional schools are.

COLAs and "steps" combined comprise 50.8 percent of the increase in a level-services budget for the elementary schools and 40.5 percent in the regional schools.

The report also includes the following information:

* Enrollment in the regional schools has dropped steadily over the past five years, from 2,021 in fiscal 2004 to 1,760 last year.

* Per-pupil costs to the four towns in the regional district are about the same, ranging from $8,393 for Pelham to $8,448 for Leverett.

* The elementary school budget comprises 37 percent of the total town budget, and the regional budget represents 22.8 percent.

* The average salary for aides is about a third that of certified teachers.

* The language in the teachers' contract on health insurance is "more generous than that provided for within union contracts managed by the town."

* The schools cannot charge fees for books and supplies.

* The site of the East Amherst School, whose program is being consolidated with one in South Amherst, cannot be rented or sold, because it is owned by the town of Amherst, not the schools.